Methods, systems, and media for accessing data from a settlement file

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to systems, media, and methods of accessing data from a test settlement file. An application programming interface (API) configured to permit alteration of one or more fields of test data in a test data file is exposed by a settlement generator. One or more fields of test data exposed by the API are altered. A test data file in a configurable format is generated based on the one or more fields of test data and alteration. The test data file is transmitted from the settlement generator to an orchestrator. A binary file, converted from the test data file, is transmitted from the settlement generator to a third-party processor. One or more pieces of data from a test settlement file are retrieved by the settlement generator, where the test settlement file includes processing results of the binary file received from the third-party processor.

BACKGROUND

The societal move away from cash transactions and towardelectronic/online purchases has automated a number of processes involvedin payments. Just as importantly, the migration to electronictransactions as the customary method of payment has also introducedadditional layers of complication, increased the number of actorsinvolved in the process, and increased the opportunity for fraud. In theprevious era of in-person, cash transactions, a consumer merely neededto locate a store clerk. The transaction was completed more or lessimmediately (with the exception of any time standing in a line for theclerk) and with little to no opportunity for fraud (i.e., the rareinstances of counterfeit currency notwithstanding).

As a result of electronic payment developments, typically transactionsnow are bifurcated. Payment entails both credit/debit cardauthorizations that occur at the point of sale or on a web site, as wellas settlements that are resolved in the hours to days subsequent to thetransaction. The distinction is intuitive for anyone who has noted thedelay that occurs between completing a purchase (i.e., the transactionauthorization) and the date such authorization actually posts to anaccount as a finalized transaction (i.e., the settlement).

While both credit card authorizations and settlements can ultimately beprocessed by the same vendor (though not necessarily), the informationexchanged, the data formats used, and other important details tocomplete each process are different. For developers who implement codeenabling web sites and other electronic processing means, each aspect ofthe payment process must be addressed. Depending on the process, thesedifferences may be painstakingly detailed, buried in the minutiae ofmachine-readable code (e.g., binary or other forms not readable bydevelopers), or involve long strings of data. Put another way, codedevelopment is hampered not by simplistic conversions remedied by aneasily implemented macro, but by complex interactions between varied anddisparate files, formats, and even processing entities.

Accordingly, systems, methods and media are needed to simplify theoverall coding development framework and to enable testing in amicroservices environment for payment processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Descriptions are given with reference to the figures included herein.When possible and for clarity, reference numbers are kept consistentfrom figure to figure. Some of the figures are simplified diagrams,which are not to be interpreted as drawn to scale or spatially limitingfor the described embodiments. Where appropriate, the particularperspective or orientation of a figure will be given to increaseunderstanding of the depicted features.

FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a developer system for testingback-end processes of financial transactions, according to embodimentsof the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed illustration of a code-development system fortesting back-end processes of financial transactions, according toembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a message sequence chart for generating test authorization forfinancial transactions, according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart outlining a method for generating testauthorization for financial transactions, according to embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations of a user interface enablinggeneration of test authorization for financial transactions, accordingto embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a message sequence chart for accessing a test settlement file,according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing a method for accessing a testsettlement file, according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are illustrations of a user interface enablinggeneration of a test settlement file, according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a computer system, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems, media, and methods for back-end processing of financialtransactions (e.g., credit card purchases/payments) would be improved ifsoftware developers were able to generate and test authorizations andsettlements in simple-to-use applications. The ability to generate thesimulated transactions to test for both authorization and settlement,without the need for complex programming knowledge or intricateknowledge of vendor formatting, would permit more robust featuredevelopment in microservices environments. Likewise, enabling thegeneration of these simulated transactions in large quantities wouldpermit a number of use cases to be tested at once. Simulating rare oreven impossible transaction scenarios would also prevent blind spots orloopholes in the development process and lead to better functioningfeatures in developed applications and web sites.

The components and/or elements described below can be employed in anoverall development architecture to facilitate a development processacross a range of software applications. These and other embodiments canbe particularly useful for a financial institution such as a bank,credit union, or credit card provider. As a single source of developertools, various applications can be used within the environment toovercome challenges specific to the industry. More particularly, theapplication development process and need for interconnected solutions inthese industries can create technical obstacles not found in othersoftware development environments.

The combination of regulatory and technical complications associatedwith the security of information for financial institutions creates aunique set of challenges that this system addresses. Primary among thoseimpediments are the complexity of the constituent pieces involved, theinterconnected nature of the sub-systems and processes, and thespecificity of each. To meet and overcome those hurdles, the disclosedsystem simplifies the development process with respect to requiredbackground knowledge. The described sub-systems, elements and tools alsowork together (with the aid of “METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND MEDIA FOR AMICROSERVICES ORCHESTRATION ENGINE”, U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/079,763, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) to provideinterconnected solutions across the development life cycle.

Starting with the business processes that underly each of the phasesthat a developer must address, the overall development architecturedisclosed in this application can be used to guide a software innovationin the financial services field from start to finish. Once businessprocesses are identified (with or without the use of the specific toolsof this system, such as found in “METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND MEDIA FORGENERATING AN UPDATED WORKFLOW FOR AN OPERATION EXECUTABLE BY ACOMPUTING DEVICE”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/079,767,incorporated by reference herein in its entirety), the softwaredevelopment environment can be used to create test users and accounts(which is discussed in further detail in “GENERATING TEST ACCOUNTS IN ACODE-TESTING ENVIRONMENT”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/079,758,incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). A developer canfurther test users and accounts through each phase of a variety oftransactions expected of those users/accounts, and even test processeswith outside vendors and third parties which previously had no means fortesting (found in “METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND MEDIA FOR GENERATING TESTAUTHORIZATION FOR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS”, U.S. patent application Ser.No. 17/183,598, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as wellas in this disclosure).

The phase-by-phase analysis of code under development can also be usedto test recurring transactions, interconnected transactions (e.g.,authorization and settlement), or produce negative testing/edge testingscenarios of a completely hypothetical nature. The ability to connectthe various processes can allow a developer to probe the interactionsthat occur due to changes in existing products and services, as well asexplore the performance of code for new products and services. Thearchitecture and implementation of the disclosed systems have beencreated in such a way as to also provide “cascading” updates. The levelof abstraction within the disclosed framework ensures that changes madeat one point in the system are reflecting in related processes elsewherein the development architecture (e.g., alterations made in generatingtest accounts that should affect other testing tools are updated inthose other applications).

The embodiments described below provide such solutions in the form of anauthorization generator and a settlement generator for implementing theabove-noted improvements. Operating in a microservices environment(i.e., small, loosely coupled services working in concert to enableapplications and web sites), the described applications allow forintuitive programming processes. Human-readable JavaScript ObjectNotation (JSON) files, which are configurable and flexible, allowdevelopers to leverage existing APIs and processes. The human-readableobjects are later transformed into binary file formats to completetesting/simulation by processing with third-party vendors or otherdisparate processing components within a single, closed developmentsystem.

To generate test authorization(s), systems and/or media including one ormore computing devices may generate an initial data set corresponding toa financial transaction. Responsive to the initial data set beinggenerated, instructions for an alteration to one or more fields ofinformation included in the initial data set are received and executedby the one or more computing devices to form a test data set. The one ormore computing devices then convert the test data set into a binaryfile, deserialize the test data set from the binary file, and generate atransaction file for the financial transaction based on the deserializedtest data set.

To access a test settlement file, systems and/or media including asettlement generator expose an application programming interface (API)configured to permit alteration of one or more fields of test data in atest data file. One or more fields of test data exposed by the API arealtered. The test data file in a configurable format is generated basedon the one or more fields of test data and the alteration(s). The testdata file is transmitted from the settlement generator to anorchestrator, where the binary file is converted from the test datafile. The binary file is subsequently transmitted from the settlementgenerator to a third-party processor. The settlement generator retrievesone or more pieces of data from a test settlement file, where the testsettlement file includes processing results of the binary file receivedor retrieved from the third-party processor.

A user interface can be used to create back-end processing functionalityfor generating test authorizations and/or accessing a settlement file.For instance, a user interface may enable the importing/exporting ofdata, executing example API requests, adding financial transactions,modifying financial transactions, scheduling transactions, or acombination thereof. When generating and accessing a settlement file,another user interface displays an exposed API. Instructions foraltering one or more fields of information of test data in the test datafile are received via the user interfaces. The user interface throughwhich the settlement file is accessed may also enableimporting/exporting data, formatting data for viewing, and refreshingthe information displayed via the user interface.

FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a developer system 100 fortesting verification protocols and procedures involved in the back-endprocessing or validation of financial transactions (e.g., consumerpurchases). According to embodiments of the present disclosure,developer system 100 may be used for generating test authorization for afinancial transaction. The financial transaction may be a simulatedfinancial transaction (e.g., created in a non-production environment),or a completed transaction received directly from a credit cardprovider, financial institution, etc. Examples of non-productionenvironments may include a code-testing environment, a quality assurance(QA) environment, or an environment used to conduct multiple aspects ofthe testing and QA processes. As depicted, developer system 100 includesa developer tool 110, microservices orchestration engine (MOE) 130, andmicroservices 150.

Developer tool 110 is shown communicating with MOE 130, and MOE 130 isshown communicating with microservices 150. Various protocols enablecommunications between developer tool 110, MOE 130, and data stores 150.The same or different protocols may enable requests between developertool 110 and MOE 130 as those that also enable the access requestsbetween MOE 130 and data stores 150. The protocols may include, but arenot limited to, calls to databases, mainframes, and applicationprogramming interfaces (APIs), as well as calls between cloud services,cloud files, and schedulers. Furthermore, segments of code can beconstructed through a combination of Simple Object Access Protocol(SOAP) service calls, Oracle™ and/or SQL database calls, calls tomiscellaneous databases, database (DB) gateway calls, Representationalstate transfer (RESTful) application programming interface (API) calls,T-SYS™ mainframe emulator communications, third-party data sourcecommunications, and/or cloud services files.

In embodiments, developer tool 110 is configured to communicate withmicroservices 150. As depicted in FIG. 1 , the communication betweendeveloper tool 110 and microservices 150 is coordinated by MOE 130.However, in alternative embodiments, developer tool 110 may communicatedirectly with microservices 150. The same or different protocols,segments of code, or methods can be used to enable communication betweendeveloper tool 110 and microservices 150.

MOE 130 is configurable to coordinate the exchange of data betweendeveloper tool 110 and microservices 150. Such exchanges areconfigurable through one or more engine framework files having ahuman-readable format. For example, MOE 130 may be configurable throughuse of a JSON document. In other embodiments, other types ofhuman-readable files render MOE 130 configurable, such as through an XMLor Google™ Protocol Buffer (Protobuf) file. The engine framework can beembodied with instructions for coordinating input requests received froma user interface and microservices components communicating with MOE130, such as microservices 150.

The engine framework can combine an input request, received from a userinterface, with framework specifications to form a job stream. The inputrequest can be one or more test authorization requests or one or moretest settlement requests. The formed job stream can include applicationprogramming interface API calls, Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)service calls, database calls, cloud services calls, and/or mainframeemulator communications. MOE 130 may be configured to: populate, fromthe data being exchanged, fields of information corresponding to fieldsof information in a user interface exposed by developer tool 110;convert the data being exchanged into a different format; form a queueof tasks for completion, and/or any combination thereof.

Microservices 150 may include one or more particular microservices(e.g., an application or a more specific, granular function) and/or anydata associated with said services. These microservices may runcomputer-executable code to produce a specific, desired outcome.Examples include performing a mathematical operation, or a series ofmathematical operations, on a set of numbers; converting a type offile/data into another type of file/data; generating and/or randomizinga data set; generating an authorization or otherwise grantingpermissions to produce/access specified (e.g., requested by a user)data; and/or a combination thereof.

Microservices 150 may also include databases, servers, or other datastores with which MOE 130 and/or developer tool 110 communicates. Thesedata stores may be local to system 100, disparate, or a combinationthereof. Data transmitted by/retrieved from microservices 150 may beused by developer system 100 to generate test authorization for afinancial transaction. For example, such transmissions could testauthorization for a specific merchant, for a type of transaction, for atype of credit card, or other variable in the purchasing process.

Microservices 150 may belong to or otherwise be affiliated with aninstitution utilizing developer tool 110. Additionally and/oralternatively, microservices 150 may belong to or otherwise beaffiliated with third parties external to the institution. Examples ofthird parties to whom microservices 150 may belong and/or otherwise beaffiliated with include payment processors, credit card providers,credit bureaus, credit reporting agencies, medical facilities,educational institutions, or financial institutions.

As an example, a user of developer system 100 (e.g., a softwaredeveloper at a financial institution, such as a bank) may generate testauthorization for a financial transaction included in a transactionfile. In accordance with the present disclosure, system 100 may includeone or more computing devices (e.g., a memory configured to store a setof computer-executable steps and one or more processors configured toperform the steps stored in the memory) for generating testauthorization for the financial transaction. The steps performed bydeveloper system 100 to generate the transaction file may includegenerating an initial data set corresponding to a financial transaction.For example, the initial data set may be a randomly generated data set,although the initial data set is not limited to such. Via a userinterface, the user of developer tool 110 may alter one or more fieldsof information included in the initial data set to form a test data set.Alterations to the fields of information are made responsive to system100 receiving an instruction for an alteration via the user interface.An application programming interface (API) exposed by developer tool 110is a non-limiting example of a user interface through which a user ofsystem 100 may make alterations to the initial data set to form the testdata set.

MOE 130 may coordinate with microservices 150 to aggregate datacorresponding to fields of information included in the test data set. Inaccordance with the present disclosure, a user of developer tool 110 maypopulate the aggregated data into the corresponding field of informationincluded in the test data set. MOE 130 may populate the aggregated datainto the corresponding field of information included in the test dataset. Alternatively, a user of developer tool 110 may populate a portionof the aggregated data into the corresponding field of informationincluded in the test data set while MOE 130 populates another portion.

Subsequent to the test data set being generated, one or more componentsof developer system 100 convert the test data set into a binary file. Insome embodiments, MOE 130 performs the conversion. Responsive toconversion into the binary file, the test data set is deserialized insome embodiments. Responsive to deserialization of the test data set, atransaction file for the financial transaction is generated based on thedeserialized test data set in some embodiments.

The transaction file may be a binary file of a different format than theprevious binary file, formatted to the specifications of themicroservice component of microservices 150 to which it will betransmitted. For example, the transaction file may be specificallyformatted for a third-party vendor to process authorizations againstcredit/debit cards. In other embodiments, the transaction file may beformatted for a third-party vendor to settle transactions. These may betest authorizations or settlements against existing accounts, or againsttest user accounts such as those generated by a test account generator.

FIG. 2 illustrates a code-development system 200 for generating testauthorization for a financial transaction and/or a test settlement.Code-development system 200 may be substantially similar/identical tothe system depicted in FIG. 1 and provides additional details of certaincomponents in accordance with the present disclosure. Code-developmentsystem 200 includes developer tool 210, communication pathways 222 and224 (collectively ‘communication pathways 22X’), microservicesorchestration engine (MOE) 230, intermediaries 240 and 242 (collectively‘intermediaries 24X’), microservices 250, 252, 254, and 256(collectively ‘microservices 25X’), and non-local data stores 260 and262 (collectively ‘non-local data stores 26X’).

As depicted in FIG. 2 , developer tool 210 includes authorizationgenerator 212 and settlement generator 214. Authorization generator 212may be configured to generate test authorization for a financialtransaction and settlement generator 214 may be configured to generate asettlement file corresponding to a financial transaction. In someexamples, the financial transaction for which a settlement file isgenerated by settlement generator 214 may be the same financialtransaction for which the test authorization was generated byauthorization generator 212.

FIG. 2 illustrates authorization generator 212 and settlement generator214 communicating directly with MOE 230 via communication pathways 222and 224, respectively. Although not shown in FIG. 2 , communicationpathways 22X may bypass MOE 230. In those instances, communicationspathways 22X may extend to microservices 25X and/or non-local datastores 26X directly or through one of the intermediaries 24X. In otherwords, either of authorization generator 212 or settlement generator 214(or both) may communicate with microservices 25X or non-local datastores 26X, either directly or through intermediaries 24X.

Communications pathways 22X are bi-directional communications linksbetween developer tool 210 (and, by extension authorization generator212/settlement generator 214) and microservices 25X/non-local datastores 26X. As described above, data exchanged between developer tool210 and microservices 25X and/or the non-local data stores 26X may beexchanged directly, pass through MOE 230, pass through intermediaries24X, and/or a combination thereof. Communications pathways 22X may beenabled by a number of communications protocols, including variousTCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) forms,Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 standard), and cellularprotocols (e.g., 2G/3G/4G/LTE/5G). Calls to various databases,mainframes, APIs, cloud services, cloud files, schedulers, and/or acombination thereof may also enable communications pathways 24X.

MOE 230 is configurable to coordinate the exchange of data betweendeveloper tool 210 and the back-end components (i.e., microservices 25Xand/or non-local data stores 26X). MOE 230 may be configured to:populate, from the data being exchanged, fields of informationcorresponding to fields of information in the initial data set beinggenerated via a user interface exposed by developer tool 210; convertthe data being exchanged into a different format; form a queue of tasksfor completion, and/or any combination thereof.

Intermediaries 24X are shown as being between MOE 230 and microservices25X/non-local data stores 26X. Intermediary 240 may be any number ofmainframes, frameworks, databases, servers, and/or emulators of thesame. Intermediary 240 may act as a buffer and/or as a source ofredundancy for data being exchanged between MOE 230 and any combinationof microservices 25X. The mainframes, frameworks, databases, or serverswhich are used as intermediary 240 may be local to code-developmentsystem 200, disparate, or any combination thereof.

Intermediary 242 may be any number of message/integration brokers (alsoknown as interface engines). As with intermediary 240, intermediary 242may act as a buffer and/or as a source of redundancy for data beingexchanged between MOE 230 and any combination of non-local data stores26X. Examples of message brokers that may be used as intermediary 242include, but are not limited to, all versions/iterations developed bythe Apache Software Foundation® such as ActiveMQ™ or Kafka™, Amazon™ WebServices (AWS), Google™ Cloud Pub/Sub, HiveMQ™, IBM™ App Connect, IBM™MQ, Microsoft™ Azure™, Open Message Queue, Oracle™ Message Broker, NATS,RabbitMQ™, Redis™, SAP™ PI/SAP™ AG, and/or any combination thereof.

Microservices 25X may include a variety of computer applications and thedata associated therewith, one or more devices (e.g., a server)executing the applications, and/or a repository (e.g., a database)storing the data associated with the applications. The repository onwhich data associated with an application is stored may be local to thedevice executing the application, disparate from that device, or acombination thereof. Applications executed may perform various tasks, ora series of tasks, for producing a desired outcome. The outcome may bestored locally and/or disparately, transmitted to developer tool 210either directly or by way of MOE 230, and/or retrieved by developer tool210 either directly or by way of MOE 230.

Non-local data stores 26X may include a variety of services used ingenerating/processing financial transactions. For instance, non-localdata stores 26X may include solutions/platforms enabling the processingof payments made using a credit card. TSYS® (of Columbus, Georgia) is anexample of such a payment platform that is widely used by major creditcard providers such as Visa and Mastercard. Non-local data stores 26Xmay also include the credit card networks themselves. Usingcode-development system 200, a developer may pull financial transactiondata directly from a credit card provider to generate test authorizationfor financial transactions.

In a non-limiting example, code-development system 200 may be used togenerate test authorization for a financial transaction included in atransaction file based on a test data set derived from an initial dataset. The initial data set may simulate or otherwise correspond toaspects of the financial transaction including a purchase amount, avendor, associated vendor information, a date of purchase, a time ofpurchase, or other details of the financial transaction.

A user of developer tool 210 may alter one or more fields of informationincluded in the initial data set to form a test data set. In someembodiments, altering the one or more fields of information may includealtering an account number, a type of account, account activationstatus, account activation codes, variables related to validity of anaccount activation code, merchant codes, and/or any combination thereof.

Alterations to the fields of information may be made responsive tocode-development system 200 receiving an instruction for an alterationvia a user interface (shown and described in greater detail below inFIGS. 5 and/or FIG. 8 ). Instructions for an alteration may becommunicated to code-development system 200 using any number of humaninterface devices including, but not limited to, a mouse, a keyboard, atouch-sensitive display device, a trackpad, a signature pad, a joystick,and/or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, the user interfacethrough which alterations to the fields of information are made isauthorization generator 212 (as shown in FIG. 5 ). Authorizationgenerator 212 may be an application executed by developer tool 210and/or an API exposed by developer tool 210. In other embodiments, theuser interface through which alterations to the fields of informationare made is settlement generator 214 (as shown in FIG. 8 ).

A test data set is converted into a binary file responsive to formationof the test data set. In some embodiments, MOE 230 converts the testdata set into the binary file. In these embodiments, responsive toconversion into a binary file, MOE 230 transmits the binary file to amessage broker.

MOE 230 may coordinate with microservices 25X and/or non-local datastores 26X to aggregate data corresponding to fields of informationincluded in the test data set, or that is otherwise associated with thefinancial transaction for which the transaction file is being generated.In some embodiments, data exchanged between MOE 230 and microservices25X and/or non-local data stores 26X may pass through intermediaries24X, while in other embodiments, the data exchanged may not pass throughintermediaries 24X.

In some embodiments, the test data set is deserialized responsive toconversion into a binary file. Responsive to deserialization, atransaction file for the financial transaction is generated based on thedeserialized test data set in certain embodiments.

In some embodiments, the steps for generating a transaction file mayalso include a scheduling process configured to transmit the transactionfile to a third-party processor, such as TSYS®. Furthermore, thetransaction file may be formatted based on processing specificationsutilized by the third-party processor to process financial transactions.

In other embodiments, a test settlement file is generated from a binaryfile. The test settlement file includes processing results of a binaryfile received from the third-party processor. In embodiments, theprocessing results of the binary file are from TSYS® as noted above, butare formatted for a test settlement file rather than test authorization.In all of the above and below examples, the test settlements orauthorizations may be for an existing user account, or for a test useraccount generated by a test account generator.

FIG. 3 is a message sequence chart 300 of messages (e.g., data) flowingbetween the various sub-components of a test authorization system, wherethe system in chart 300 is used for generating a test authorization fora financial transaction. The system depicted in chart 300 may besubstantially similar/identical to systems 100 and/or 200 describedabove. Included in the system of chart 300 are test authorizationapplication 310, orchestrator 320, message broker 330, and verificationengine 340.

Test authorization application 310 may be substantiallysimilar/identical to authorization generator 212 described above. Insome examples, test authorization application 310 may receiveinstructions (e.g., via a user interface) from a user of testauthorization system 300 to alter fields of information included aninitial data set generated by system 300. Responsive to the alterationsbeing made, a test data set is formed from the initial data set. Testauthorization application 310 transmits a communication 312 with thetest data set to orchestrator 320. Orchestrator 320 converts the testdata set into a binary file and orchestrator 320 transmits the binaryfile to message broker 330 in a communication 322.

Generally, a message broker acts as a “go-between”, enablinginterdependent sub-components of a system to communicate with oneanother when, due to compatibility issues, such communication would nototherwise be feasible. To overcome these compatibility issues, themessage broker may receive data from a sub-component of the system andconvert the data into a different language, format, and/or platform thatis usable by other sub-components of the system. Responsive to theconversion, the other sub-components of the system retrieve theconverted data from the message broker.

Continuing the example shown in FIG. 3 , test authorization application310 may retrieve from message broker 330 the binary file in acommunication 332. Alternatively, message broker 330 may transmit thebinary file to application 310 in communication 332. Responsive toretrieval or reception, test authorization application 310 deserializesthe test data set from the binary file. The deserialized test data setis sent to/retrieved by verification entity 340 in a communication 342,where authorization for a transaction file for the financial transactionis generated.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart representing a method 400 of generating testauthorization for financial transactions. At a step 410, one or morecomputing devices generate an initial data set corresponding to afinancial transaction. In some embodiments, the initial data setcorresponding to the financial transaction may simulate consumerpurchases and/or related data. Examples of the data related to aconsumer purchase may include a purchase amount, a vendor/merchant,associated vendor/merchant information, a date of purchase, a time ofpurchase, other simulated transaction details, and/or a combinationthereof.

At a step 420, one or more fields of information included in the initialdata set are altered by the one or more computing devices to form a testdata set. The alterations are made in response to receiving aninstruction for an alteration via a user interface. Examples of fieldsof information which may be altered include, but are not limited to anaccount number, a type of account, activation status of an account,account activation codes, variables related to account activation codevalidity, merchant codes, or any combination thereof. Examples of a userinterface through which an alteration may be made include, but are notlimited to, a display device, a touch-sensitive display device, akeyboard, a mouse, a trackpad, a signature pad, a joystick, and/or acombination thereof.

At a step 430, the one or more computing devices convert the test dataset into a binary file. In some embodiments, an orchestratorsubstantially similar/identical to MOE 230/Orchestrator 320 may convertthe test data set into a binary file. In other embodiments, anapplication substantially similar/identical to application 310 mayconvert the test data set into a binary file. In some embodiments, theorchestrator may transmit the binary file to a message broker.

Responsive to conversion of the test data set into a binary file, atstep 440, the one or more computing devices deserialize the test dataset from the binary file. Responsive to deserialization, at step 450,the one or more computing devices generate a transaction file for thefinancial transaction based on the deserialized test data set. In someembodiments, responsive to the transaction file being generated, ascheduling process is configured to transmit the transaction file to athird-party processor, such as TSYS®. In such instances, the transactionfile may be formatted based on processing specifications utilized by thethird-party processor (i.e., TSYS®) to process financial transactions.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium may include a set ofcomputer-executable instructions. Execution of the instructions, by oneor more processing devices, causes the one or more processing devices toperform steps for executing a method for generating test authorizationfor financial transactions that is substantially similar/identical tomethod 400 described in the discussion of FIG. 4 . The various steps andfeatures may also be substantially similar to the steps and featuresoutlined above with respect to the files, transmissions, conversions,processes and results thereof employed by, in or for method 400. Themethod 400 may be used with existing accounts, or may take place aftercreating test user accounts with a test account generator (which isfound in “GENERATING TEST ACCOUNTS IN A CODE-TESTING ENVIRONMENT”, U.S.patent applicatoin Ser. No. 17/079,758.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations of a user interface 500 (depicted as500A and 500B in the respective figures) through which authorization fora financial transaction may be generated and/or tested, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5A illustrates an applicationidentical or substantially similar to authorization generator 212configured to submit an authorization request along with a matchingcredit card transaction. FIG. 5B illustrates an example display of theresults of a returned authorization request.

User interface 500A is configured to display a set of functional buttons510 and a data table 530. The set of functional buttons 510 enable theuser to manipulate the fields of information corresponding to thefinancial transaction for which an authorization request is beingsubmitted. For example, functional button 520 allows the user to togglebetween a table view and a JSON view of the data table 530. Functionalbutton 522 enables the user to import additional financial transactionsinto data table 530 while functional button 524 allows the user toexport the data table 530 (e.g., to a different file format for testingelsewhere in a code-testing and/or QC environment). Further, functionalbutton 526 enables the user to view an API call that will be generatedfor the financial transaction(s) included in the data table 530. Inaccordance with the present disclosure, the API call may pull financialtransaction information directly from a credit card provider, and insome examples, the API call may be editable by the user. Finally,functional button 528 enables the user to submit the authorizationrequest.

The user interface 500A of FIG. 5A includes a data table 530representing one or more financial transactions for which the user issubmitting an authorization request. Various fields of information542-554 corresponding to the financial transaction are included in datatable 530. These fields of information include Country 542,Authorization Type 544, Credit Card Number (CCN) 546, Post MatchingTransaction 548, Amount 550, Plastic Token 552, and Merchant Name 554(collectively “the fields of information 5XXA”). More, fewer, ordifferent fields of information corresponding to a financial transactionfor which an authorization request is being submitted than thosedepicted in FIG. 5A may be considered when submitting the authorizationrequest. Thus, different arrangements of the information shown in fieldsof information 5XXA may be contemplated within the scope of thisdisclosure.

Button 560 is configured to allow a user to add a specific financialtransaction to the authorization request. The user may click orotherwise select any buttons displayed via user interface 500A using amouse or other suitable pointing device (e.g., a finger or a stylus on atouch-sensitive display device), a keyboard, a trackpad, a signaturepad, or a joystick, among others, or a combination thereof. To fill inthe various fields of information displayed via user interface 500A, anycombination of interface devices may be used to select a button.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example display 500B of the results of a returnedauthorization request. User interface 500B includes two view tabs,Results tab 564 and Job Details tab 566 (collectively “view tabs 56X”),as well as a second set of functional buttons 570 and a data table 580.As depicted in FIG. 5B, the Results tab 564 is selected. Alternatively,the user may select the Job Details tab 566 to review the informationthat was submitted in making the authorization request (e.g., theinformation that was described in the discussion of FIG. 5A above).

Returned authorization results may be manipulated by selecting a secondset of functional buttons 570 displayed via user interface 500B. Forexample, the user may export the authorization request results byselecting functional button 524, which functions as previously describedwith respect to user interface 500A. Further, the user may refresh thedata displayed in data table 580 by selecting functional button 572. Theuser may also view data table 580 in a JSON format by selectingfunctional button 574. Moreover, the user may run additional featuresrelated to the authorization request results by selecting functionalbutton 576. The user may use a search bar (shown without numberingbetween view tabs 56X and data table 580) to execute a keyword searchamong the authorization results returned in data table 580. The searchfor those keywords may be executed by selecting the functional buttonrepresented by a magnifying glass (also shown but not numbered).

Data table 580 contains the authorization request results. Data table580 includes various fields of information corresponding to theapproval. As depicted in FIG. 5B, the fields of information included inthe results of this particular authorization request include Status 582,Reason 584, Credit Card Number 586, Matching Transaction 588,Transaction Id 590, and Transaction Result 592 (collectively, “thefields of information 5XXB”). Data table 580 may present a differentcombination of the fields of information 5XXB (potentially includingfields of information not shown in FIG. 5B) depending on the fields ofinformation submitted in making the request.

As a non-limiting example, a developer may use an applicationsubstantially similar or identical to authorization generator 212 togenerate a test authorization for a financial transaction for a creditcard number “9999888877776666” or for multiple credit cards. The testauthorization(s) may be for an existing account or for one or moreaccounts generated by a test account generator. The application maypresent to the developer a user interface 500A via which a data table530 is displayed. Fields the fields of information 5XXA are included indata table 530, which correspond to one or more financial transactionscompleted on the credit card. By selecting button 560, the developer mayadd the financial transaction(s) presented in data table 530 to theauthorization request being generated.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the developer may manuallyselect/input (e.g., from a drop-down menu or via keyboard) data into thefields of information 5XXA corresponding to the financial transaction(s)being added to the authorization request. To add a financial transactionto an authorization request, the developer may press functional button526 to preview an API call. The API call may pull financial transactiondata corresponding to the fields of information 5XXA from a particularcredit card, and the developer may test authorization for anycombination of the financial transactions pulled via the API call.Alternatively, the developer may select button 560 to add a financialtransaction to the authorization request. More, fewer, or a differentcombination of fields of information 5XXA (including fields ofinformation not displayed in FIG. 5A) may be used in generatingauthorization requests.

To further manipulate the data displayed in data table 530, thedeveloper may select functional button 520 to toggle between a tableview and a JSON view of data table 530. Although the ability to toggleto a JSON view is depicted in FIG. 5A, in other embodiments, it may bepossible to present the financial transaction data in the form of adifferent human-readable computer-programming languages (e.g., as a.XML, file). The developer may elect to import financial transactiondata by selecting functional button 522, or the developer may elect toexport the financial transaction data included in data table 530 byselecting the export data functional button 524. Once satisfied withdata table 530, the developer may submit the authorization request byselecting functional button 528.

FIG. 5B illustrates a user interface 500B displaying the authorizationrequest results returned to the developer responsive to submitting theauthorization request. The developer may select the Job Details tab 566to review/revise the financial transaction information underlying theresults being displayed via the Results tab 564. The results of therequest are presented to the developer in data table 580. The developercan see the fields of information 5XXB corresponding to theauthorization in data table 568. For example, the developer can see theStatus of the authorization for the financial transaction (“approved”)in field of information 582.

The developer may enter keywords into the search bar, and the developermay execute a search for those keywords by selecting the functionalbutton denoted by the magnifying glass to filter through theauthorization request results returned in data table 580. Selectingfunctional button 572 enables the developer to refresh the financialtransaction data displayed in data table 580. If the developer modifiesthe financial transaction data underlying the authorization request viathe Job Details tab 566, or if the developer adds additional financialtransactions to the data table 580 as described during the discussion ofFIG. 5A, selecting the refresh data functional button 572 will updatedata table 580 to reflect those changes/additions. Selecting functionalbutton 574 enables the developer to switch to a view of a JSON versionof the data table 580. In other embodiments, the developer may be ableto view data table 580 in another human-readable computer-programminglanguage (e.g., XML). The developer may export the results of theauthorization request by selecting functional button 522. The developermay run additional features by selecting functional button 576.

FIG. 6 is a message sequence chart 600 for accessing a test settlementfile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A testsettlement system used in message sequence chart 600 may besubstantially similar/identical to systems 100 or 200 described above.Included in test settlement system are test settlement application 610,orchestrator 620, message broker 630, and verification engine 640.

Test settlement application 610 may be substantially similar/identicalto settlement generator 214 described above and depicted in FIG. 2 . Insome examples, test settlement application 610 may receive instructionsfrom a user of the test settlement system (e.g., via a user interface asshown and described in FIG. 8 ) to alter fields of information includedin an initial data set generated by the system. Responsive to thealterations, a test data set is formed from the initial data set.

A communication 612, which includes the test data set, is transmittedfrom test settlement application 610 to an orchestrator 620. In certainembodiments, orchestrator 620 may be substantially similar or identicalto MOE 130/230 described above. In some embodiments, orchestrator 620converts the test data set into a binary file. Subsequent to thatconversion, orchestrator 620 transmits a communication 622 to messagebroker 630. Communication 622 transmitted by orchestrator 620 containsthe binary file from the conversion.

Continuing the example shown in FIG. 6 , test settlement application 610may retrieve the binary file from message broker 630 in a communication632. Alternatively, message broker 630 may transmit the binary file toapplication 610 in communication 632 (i.e., communication 632 is pushedby message broker 630 rather than pulled by test settlement application610). Responsive to retrieval or reception of the binary file, testsettlement application 610 subsequently generates a transaction filebased on the received/retrieved binary file.

The transaction file is communicated to verification entity 640 in acommunication 642. As noted above with message sequence chart 300 andmethod 400, communication 642 can be sent to a third-party, such asTSYS®, for verification and processing. The transaction file incommunication 642 is appropriately formatted for settlement processing,and thus will be different from the descriptions of a transaction fileabove. It should be noted that the transaction file may even bedifferent depending on the card provider for which the test is being run(e.g., Visa or Mastercard). In some embodiments, the transmission ofcommunication 642 is facilitated by a scheduler, where the scheduling iscoordinated by orchestrator 620.

Consistent with descriptions above and below, either existing accountsor test user accounts generated by a test account generator may be usedin message sequence chart 600. Unlike authorizations generator 212,message sequence chart 300 and method 400 described above, thesettlement process involves additional steps and processing. Primarily,the authorizations generator is more concerned with the outboundfile/format for the third-party processor. As shown in message sequencechart 600, settlement processes will include the return of processedinformation to the settlement generator. In some embodiments, acommunication 644 is transmitted from verification entity 640 toapplication 610 (i.e., the settlement generator). In other embodiments,communication 644 is retrieved by application 610.

Once the verification entity 640 has received or retrieved processingresults in the form of one or more settlement files, there mayoptionally be a transmission of a communication 650 between thesettlement generator and message broker 630. Additional processing orformatting of the settlement results may be performed to further testthe settled transactions. Likewise, a communication 652 may be sent frommessage broker 630 to orchestrator 620 in order to further process theresults (e.g., formatting, conversion, scheduling, etc.).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing a method 700 for generating a testsettlement file, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.Method 700 is executed by one or more computing devices in anon-production development environment, such as the environment shown inFIG. 2 above. For example, in some embodiments settlement generator 214and/or MOE 230 shown in FIG. 2 can perform steps described below. Method700 can be performed independent of, or in conjunction with, a testaccount generator for creating test user accounts.

At a step 710, a settlement generator (e.g., settlement generator 214)exposes an application programming interface (API) configured to permitalteration of one or more fields of test data in a test data file. At astep 720, one or more fields of test data exposed by the API arealtered. In certain embodiments, the alteration is the result of inputfrom a user interface, such as the user interface shown in FIG. 8 anddescribed above and below.

At a step 730, a test data file in a configurable format is generatedbased on the one or more fields of test data and the alteration(s). Theconfigurable format can be a JSON file, an XML file, or a Protobuf fileaccording to various embodiments. At a step 740, the test data file istransmitted from the settlement generator to an orchestrator, such asMOE 230 described above and shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, thetransmission can be identical or substantially similar to communication622 shown in FIG. 6 and described above). The orchestrator converts thetest data file into a binary file, although alternatively the conversioncan be performed by settlement generator 214 or another component of thesystem.

The binary file converted from the test data file is retrieved from theorchestrator by the settlement generator or, alternatively, transmittedby the orchestrator to the settlement generator. The binary file is thentransmitted from the settlement generator to a third-party processor ata step 750. In some embodiments, the third-party processor at step 750can be a payment processor, such as TSYS®. An example of a transmissionto the third-party processor would be one identical or substantiallysimilar to communication 642 shown in FIG. 6 and described above.

At a step 760, one or more pieces of data are retrieved from a testsettlement file by the settlement generator. The test settlement fileincludes processing results of the binary file received from thethird-party processor. Thus, once the third-party processor has takenthe binary file and processed the transactions for settlement, thesettlement generator can use a portion or all of that settlement file totest code under development.

The ability to employ method 700, much like method 300 previouslydescribed above, facilitates the code-testing process. The developerneed not generate the binary file used by the third-party processor,therefore avoiding the intricate assembly/writing process leading up totesting various microservices components or functions. Instead, generalknowledge of the transaction parameters the developer seeks to test aresufficient to generate the necessary files when used in conjunction withthe interface described above and below.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium may include a set ofcomputer-executable instructions. Execution of the instructions, by oneor more processing devices, causes the one or more processing devices toperform steps for executing a method for accessing a test settlementfile for financial transactions that is substantially similar/identicalto method 700 described in the discussion of FIG. 7 . The various stepsand features may also be substantially similar to the steps and featuresoutlined above with respect to the files, transmissions, conversions,processes and results thereof employed by, in or for method 700.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are illustrations of a user interface 800 (depicted asuser interfaces 800A and 800B in the respective figures) through whichsettlement for a financial transaction may be generated and/or tested,according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As depicted inFIGS. 8A and 8B, there are four steps involved in generating/testingsettlement for a financial transaction, shown collectively by stepbuttons 810 at the top of user interface 800A. During each step, a usercan modify data corresponding to various fields of informationcorresponding to the financial transaction for which settlement is beinggenerated/tested.

As shown in user interface 800A of FIG. 8A, a user may be prompted toinput one or more credit card numbers into entry field 820 for which theuser wishes to generate a financial transaction during the first step.These credit card numbers can be existing accounts or those generated bya test account generator. By clicking (or otherwise selecting)functional button 822, the user can import financial transactions storedfor the credit card number entered into entry field 820. By clickingfunctional button 824, the user will be taken to the next step.

At the second step, the user is prompted to enter several fields ofrelated information 830. For example, the user may be prompted to entera general category for the financial transaction being generated. Asexamples, the financial transaction may be categorized as a cashtransaction, a debit card (DC) transaction, or a credit card (CC)transaction, among others. As depicted in FIG. 8A, the category selectedis a general credit card transaction.

The user can also provide details corresponding to merchant type,merchant category code, and the purchase amount into fields of relatedinformation 830. As shown in FIG. 8A, a small amount ($0-$10) isselected for this particular transaction. However, as non-limitingexamples, the user may also be able to select a medium purchase amount($11-$100), a large purchase amount ($101-$499), or a very largepurchase amount ($500+) for the transaction being generated/tested.Moreover, the user can enter the name of the merchant and the quantityof financial transactions to be returned in yet additional fields amongthe fields of related information 830.

Selecting functional button 832 may generate an example API request. TheAPI may populate into data table 840 fields of information correspondingto completed financial transactions (described in greater detail in theensuing discussion of the subsequent step below). Selecting functionalbutton 834 may permit the user to find a particular transaction(s) ofinterest (e.g., via a search function).

At a third step of the testing process, a user may generate/populatefinancial transactions. Data table 840 displays to the user fields ofinformation 850 corresponding to financial transactions completed by(e.g., pending or posted to) the credit card corresponding to the creditcard number entered into entry field 820. The fields of informationdisplayed in data table 840 are configurable, and include ID, Status,Card Type, Virtual Credit Card Number (VCCN), Amount, Merchant Name,Merchant Address, Merchant City, Merchant State/Province Code, andMerchant Store Number, among others. Configurable fields of information850 not displayed in FIGS. 8A/8B may be taken into consideration whengenerating settlement for a financial transaction. Further, differentcombinations of these configurable fields of information than theparticular combination displayed in FIGS. 8A/8B may be considered whengenerating settlement for a financial transaction. The fields ofinformation 850 cannot be edited by the user as shown in this thirdstep.

Rather, data corresponding to the fields of information 850 included ineach financial transaction may be populated by the API request executedby selecting functional button 832. The user may also configure whichcombination of financial transactions populated into data table 840 byselecting the corresponding “Add+” button (e.g., 852(1), 852(2), 852(3),and/or 852(4), collectively “the Add buttons 852”). Alternatively, theuser may select the “Add All” button 854 to add all financialtransactions displayed in data table 840. Financial transactions addedusing the Add buttons 852 or the Add All button 854 are populated intodata table 860 (to be described in the ensuing discussion of FIG. 8B).Moreover, the developer may search any transaction (e.g., for alltransactions completed by a credit card having a particular VCCN) byentering the desired search criteria into the search bar found betweenthe fields of information 850 and data table 860 and then selecting thefunctional button (again shown by a magnifying glass icon) to executethe search.

Turning now to FIG. 8B, the financial transactions added in the previoussteps are populated into a new data table 860 at the fourth and finalstep. Once the financial transactions have been added to data table 860,the user can review and manually edit fields of information 870, whichcorrespond to the financial transactions. For the purposes of testingthe settlement process, the user may attempt to invalidate a generatedfinancial transaction by modifying (e.g., by using a keyboard, mouse,etc.) any of the fields of information 870 corresponding to thetransaction. As an example, all data populated into the fields ofinformation 870 corresponding to a financial transaction included indata table 860 can be pulled via the API request executed in the secondstep (e.g., it came directly from the credit card provider). If the userwere to modify any of the fields of information 870 corresponding to aparticular financial transaction, settlement for that transaction shouldfail.

Again, the user may select functional button 832 to generate an exampleAPI request. The user may also select: functional button 884 to cleardata table 860, functional button 886 to schedule a transaction, and/orfunctional button 888 to post a transaction. The user may also selectcheck box 890 to override a bad status of any of the financialtransactions displayed in data table 860, or select check box 892 topost a financial transaction(s) on a transferred credit card.

In accordance with the present disclosure, selecting step buttons 810 atthe top of user interface 800A of FIG. 8A, may automatically select(e.g., highlight, place a cursor in, etc.) the first field ofinformation/entry field included in the corresponding step involved inthe process of generating/testing settlement for a financialtransaction. For instance, selecting the STEP 1 button may place acursor in entry field 820 included in the first step of the settlementgeneration process, selecting the STEP 2 button may highlight the fieldof information corresponding Category included in the second step of thesettlement generation process, and so on.

As a non-limiting example, a developer using an applicationsubstantially similar or identical to settlement generator 214 may bepresented with a user interface 800A. Via user interface 800A, thedeveloper may generate settlement for a financial transaction made witha credit card. The developer may click on the STEP 1 button tofacilitate entering the credit card number of the card that completedthe financial transaction(s) under review into entry field 820. Thedeveloper may select functional button 822 to import multiple creditcard numbers, and/or the developer may select functional button 824 toproceed to the second step of the settlement generation process.Alternatively, the developer may click on the STEP 2 button to bedirected to field of information corresponding to Category to begin thesecond step.

As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the developer selected the Category offinancial transaction to be a general credit card transaction of anyMerchant Type, and having any Merchant Category Code. The developer alsoselected financial transactions having small purchase Amounts, chose notto specify a Merchant Name, and requested to return a maximum Quantityof 20 results (e.g., corresponding financial transactions). To continuethe settlement testing process, the developer may select functionalbutton 832 to preview an example API request for the selected financialtransactions. Further, the developer may choose to find a specifictransaction(s) by selecting functional button 834.

Continuing with the same example, the developer may select the STEP 3button, which may in turn place a cursor in the search bar. By typingkeywords into the search bar and using the functional button denoted bya magnifying glass to execute a search for those keywords, the developercan filter through the financial transactions that are displayed in datatable 840 to determine which transactions to add to a new data table forsettlement testing. The developer can add financial transactions to thenew data table by selecting the Add buttons 852. Alternatively, allfinancial transactions can be added at once by selecting the Add Allbutton 854. In this example, the developer selected the Add All button854 to add all four of the financial transactions to a new data table,data table 860 (as can be seen in FIG. 8B, and as will be discussedbelow).

To begin the fourth step, the developer may select the STEP 4 button.Once in the fourth step, the developer may edit all fields ofinformation corresponding to the financial transactions included in thenew data table 860. The ability to edit the fields of informationenables the developer to test settlement for these financialtransactions. Take as an example, the financial transaction completed onthe credit card having VCCN 4444333322221111. If the developer were tochange the Merchant Address from 1 Main St. to, say, 11 Main St.,settlement for this financial transaction will fail as Gas Station#012345678 has a known, fixed address of 1 Main St., Springfield, Ill.(IL). Similarly, if the developer were to change the Merchant City fromSpringfield to Chicago, the Merchant State/Province Code from Illinois(IL) to Indiana (IN), the Merchant Store Number to anything other than012345678, or the purchase Amount from $7.11 to $8.11, settlement forthis financial transaction will also fail.

The developer may select functional button 832 to generate an exampleAPI request to pull/populate the fields of information 870 included indata table 860. The developer may also use functional button 884 toclear all data from data table 860. Further, the developer may usefunctional button 886 to schedule a transaction (e.g., a recurringtransaction such as a monthly subscription). Moreover, the developer mayuse functional button 888 to force a financial transaction to post (asif settlement had already been generated for that particulartransaction). The developer may use check box 890 to override a badstatus of a financial transaction (e.g., simulate approval of atransaction that was declined) to further enable settlement testing, orthe developer may use check box 892 to post a transaction on atransferred credit card (e.g., a balance transfer from an existingcredit card to a new credit card). Finally, the developer may selectfunctional button 882 to export data table 860.

FIG. 9 depicts an example computer system useful for implementingvarious embodiments. Various embodiments may be implemented, forexample, using one or more well-known computer systems, such as computersystem 900 shown in FIG. 9 . One or more computer systems 900 may beused, for example, to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein,as well as combinations and sub-combinations thereof.

Computer system 900 may include one or more processors (also calledcentral processing units, or CPUs), such as a processor 904. Processor904 may be connected to a communication infrastructure or bus 906.

Computer system 900 may also include user input/output device(s) 903,such as monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, etc., which maycommunicate with communication infrastructure 906 through userinput/output interface(s) 902.

One or more of processors 904 may be a graphics processing unit (GPU).In an embodiment, a GPU may be a processor that is a specializedelectronic circuit designed to process mathematically intensiveapplications. The GPU may have a parallel structure that is efficientfor parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as mathematicallyintensive data common to computer graphics applications, images, videos,etc.

Computer system 900 may also include a main or primary memory 908, suchas random access memory (RAM). Main memory 908 may include one or morelevels of cache. Main memory 908 may have stored therein control logic(i.e., computer software) and/or data. Computer system 900 may alsoinclude one or more secondary storage devices or memory 910. Secondarymemory 910 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 912 and/or aremovable storage device or drive 914. Removable storage drive 914 maybe a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, anoptical storage device, tape backup device, and/or any other storagedevice/drive.

Removable storage drive 914 may interact with a removable storage unit918. Removable storage unit 918 may include a computer usable orreadable storage device having stored thereon computer software (controllogic) and/or data. Removable storage unit 918 may be a floppy disk,magnetic tape, compact disk, DVD, optical storage disk, and/any othercomputer data storage device. Removable storage drive 914 may read fromand/or write to removable storage unit 918.

Secondary memory 910 may include other means, devices, components,instrumentalities or other approaches for allowing computer programsand/or other instructions and/or data to be accessed by computer system900. Such means, devices, components, instrumentalities or otherapproaches may include, for example, a removable storage unit 922 and aninterface 920. Examples of the removable storage unit 922 and theinterface 920 may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface(such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip(such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a memory stick and USBport, a memory card and associated memory card slot, and/or any otherremovable storage unit and associated interface.

Computer system 900 may further include a communication or networkinterface 924. Communication interface 924 may enable computer system900 to communicate and interact with any combination of externaldevices, external networks, external entities, etc. (individually andcollectively referenced by reference number 928). For example,communication interface 924 may allow computer system 900 to communicatewith external or remote devices 928 over communications path 926, whichmay be wired and/or wireless (or a combination thereof), and which mayinclude any combination of LANs, WANs, the Internet, etc. Control logicand/or data may be transmitted to and from computer system 900 viacommunication path 926.

Computer system 900 may also be any of a personal digital assistant(PDA), desktop workstation, laptop or notebook computer, netbook,tablet, smart phone, smart watch or other wearable, appliance, part ofthe Internet-of-Things, and/or embedded system, to name a fewnon-limiting examples, or any combination thereof.

Computer system 900 may be a client or server, accessing or hosting anyapplications and/or data through any delivery paradigm, including butnot limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions; local oron-premises software (“on-premise” cloud-based solutions); “as aservice” models (e.g., content as a service (CaaS), digital content as aservice (DCaaS), software as a service (SaaS), managed software as aservice (MSaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service(DaaS), framework as a service (FaaS), backend as a service (BaaS),mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS),etc.); and/or a hybrid model including any combination of the foregoingexamples or other services or delivery paradigms.

Any applicable data structures, file formats, and schemas in computersystem 400 may be derived from standards including but not limited toJavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), YetAnother Markup Language (YAML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language(XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User InterfaceLanguage (XUL), or any other functionally similar representations aloneor in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formatsor schemas may be used, either exclusively or in combination with knownor open standards.

In some embodiments, a tangible, non-transitory apparatus or article ofmanufacture comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer useable orreadable medium having control logic (software) stored thereon may alsobe referred to herein as a computer program product or program storagedevice. This includes, but is not limited to, computer system 900, mainmemory 908, secondary memory 910, and removable storage units 918 and922, as well as tangible articles of manufacture embodying anycombination of the foregoing. Such control logic, when executed by oneor more data processing devices (such as computer system 900), may causesuch data processing devices to operate as described herein.

Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparentto persons skilled in the relevant art(s) how to make and useembodiments of this disclosure using data processing devices, computersystems and/or computer architectures other than that shown in FIG. 9 .In particular, embodiments can operate with software, hardware, and/oroperating system implementations other than those described herein.

It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and notthe Abstract section, is intended to be used to interpret the claims.The Abstract section may set forth one or more but not all exemplaryembodiments of the present application as contemplated by theinventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present applicationand the appended claims in any way.

The present application has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specifiedfunctions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functionalbuilding blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenienceof the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as thespecified functions and relationships thereof are appropriatelyperformed.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fullyreveal the general nature of the application that others can, byapplying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/oradapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undueexperimentation, without departing from the general concept of thepresent disclosure. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications areintended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of thedisclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presentedherein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, suchthat the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is tobe interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings andguidance.

The breadth and scope of the present application should not be limitedby any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should bedefined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of accessing data from a test settlementfile, the method comprising: receiving, by at least one hardwareprocessor via an application programming interface (API), instructionsfor altering one or more fields of information in an initial data set;altering, by the at least one hardware processor, the one or more fieldsof information in the initial data set based on the instructions,thereby forming a test data set; transmitting, by the at least onehardware processor, the test data set to an orchestrator, wherein theorchestrator comprises computer-executable instructions configured toconvert the test data set to a binary file and transmit the binary fileto a message broker; receiving, by the at least one hardware processor,the binary file from the message broker; generating, by the at least onehardware processor, a transaction file based on the binary file, whereinthe transaction file is formatted for settlement processing;transmitting, by the at least one hardware processor, the transactionfile to a third-party processor; receiving, by the at least one hardwareprocessor, the test settlement file from the third-party processor,wherein the test settlement file comprises processing results of thebinary file by the third-party processor; and retrieving, by the atleast one hardware processor, one or more pieces of data from the testsettlement file.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:initializing, by the at least one hardware processor, a schedulingprocess configured to transmit the transaction file to the third-partyprocessor.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the test dataset comprises: transmitting, by the at least one hardware processor, thetest data set in a human-readable configurable file format.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the altering the one or more fields ofinformation in the initial data set comprises: altering, by the at leastone hardware processor, an account number, a type of account, activationstatus, account activation codes, variables related to accountactivation code validity, merchant codes, or any combination thereof. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the test data set is in a configurableformat.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, bythe at least one hardware processor, the test settlement file to themessage broker, wherein the message broker comprises computer-executableinstructions configured to transmit the test settlement file to theorchestrator, and the orchestrator further comprises computer-executableinstructions configured to process the test settlement file.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: testing, by the at least onehardware processor, computer code for errors based on the testsettlement file.
 8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumhaving a set of computer-executable instructions stored thereon,execution of which, by one or more processing devices, causes the one ormore processing devices to perform operations of accessing data from atest settlement file, the operations comprising: receiving, via anapplication programming interface (API), instructions for altering oneor more fields of information in an initial data set; altering the oneor more fields of information in the initial data set based on theinstructions, thereby forming a test data set; transmitting the testdata set to an orchestrator, wherein the orchestrator comprisescomputer-executable instructions configured to convert the test data setto a binary file and transmit the binary file to a message broker;receiving the binary file from the message broker; generating atransaction file based on the binary file, wherein the transaction fileis formatted for settlement processing; transmitting the transactionfile to a third-party processor; receiving the test settlement file fromthe third-party processor, wherein the test settlement file comprisesprocessing results of the binary file by the third-party processor; andretrieving one or more pieces of data from the test settlement file. 9.The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 furthercomprising an operation of initializing a scheduling process configuredto transmit the transaction file to the third-party processor.
 10. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein thetransmitting the test data set comprises transmitting the test data setin a human-readable configurable file format.
 11. A test settlementgeneration system comprising: a memory configured to store a set ofcomputer-executable steps; and one or more hardware processorsconfigured to perform the steps, the steps comprising: receiving, via anapplication programming interface (API), instructions for altering oneor more fields of information in an initial data set; altering the oneor more fields of information in the initial data set based on theinstructions, thereby forming a test data set; transmitting the testdata set to an orchestrator, wherein the orchestrator comprisescomputer-executable instructions configured to convert the test data setto a binary file and transmit the binary file to a message broker;receiving the binary file from the message broker; generating atransaction file based on the binary file, wherein the transaction fileis formatted for settlement processing; transmitting the transactionfile to a third-party processor; receiving a test settlement file fromthe third-party processor, wherein the test settlement file comprisesprocessing results of the binary file by the third-party processor; andretrieving one or more pieces of data from the test settlement file. 12.The test settlement generation system of claim 11, wherein the receivingthe instructions for altering the one or more fields of information inthe initial data set comprises: displaying a user interface (UI); andreceiving the instructions for altering the one or more fields ofinformation in the initial data set via the user interface.
 13. The testsettlement generation system of claim 12, wherein the UI is configuredto enable importing data, exporting data, formatting data for viewing,and refreshing data displayed via the (UI).
 14. The test settlementgeneration system of claim 11, wherein the altering the one or morefields of information in the initial data set comprises: altering anaccount number, a type of account, activation status, account activationcodes, variables related to account activation code validity, merchantcodes, or any combination thereof.
 15. The test settlement generationsystem of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise: initializing ascheduling process configured to transmit the transaction file to thethird-party processor.
 16. The test settlement generation system ofclaim 11, wherein the transmitting the test data set comprisestransmitting the test data set in a human-readable configurable fileformat.
 17. The test settlement generation system of claim 11, whereinthe test data set is in a configurable format.
 18. The test settlementgeneration system of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise:transmitting the test settlement file to the message broker, wherein themessage broker comprises computer-executable instructions configured totransmit the test settlement file to the orchestrator, and theorchestrator further comprises computer-executable instructionsconfigured to process the test settlement file.
 19. The test settlementgeneration system of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise:testing computer code for errors based on the test settlement file.